Falling Sky: aka “Crocodile Tears” (1998)

A girl comes of age in seedy Las Vegas while her alcoholic mother pursues a career as a singer.

Genre – Drama

Executive Producer – Walter Josten

Director(s) – Brian J. De Palma and Russ Brandt,

Writer(s) – Brian J. De Palma

Cast – Karen Allen andBrittany Murphy

Blue Rider’s Role – Executive producers

Distributor(s) – DEJ Productions

Release Date – 1998

Synopsis – Aspiring singer Reese (Karen Allen) and her daughter (Brittany Murphy) move to Las Vegas to make a fresh start. Reese’s alcoholism prevents her from being available to her daughter in times of need. Things go downhill for Reese, whose daughter ends up taking care of her.

Critic’s Kudos:
Rotten Tomatoes.com: “This lushly photographed independent drama features strong, emotional peformances from Murphy and Allen.”

Viewers’ Ratings:At the Internet Movie Database, as of March 8, 2007, more than 68.1% of the 138 poeple evaluating Falling Sky gave it positive ratings, with 22.5% giving it a perfect 10. Among demographic groups, the most enthusiastic were women 45 and older (who rated it 7.7 out of 10), women 30-44 (6.7) and women 18-29 (6.5).

Major Cast and Crew Credits and Awards:
Directed by Brian J. De Palma (debut) and Russ Brandt (debut; was cinematographer on 12 films, including Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood).

Written by Brian J. De Palma (debut).

Stars Karen Allen (Animal House, The Perfect Storm, Manhattan, In the Bedroom, Scrooged, The Wanderers; won a Saturn Award for Raiders of the Lost Ark and three major nominations for Starman and The Glass Menagerie; 30 other films and TV projects) and Brittany Murphy (Sin City, Don’t Say a Word, Drop Dead Gorgeous; two major awards and 15 nominations for works including 8 Mile, Girl Interrupted, Clueless and King of the Hill).

Cast includes Jeremy Jordan (Leaving Las Vegas, Never Been Kissed, Live Nude Girls, Julian Po); Chris Young (The Great Outdoors, PCU, She’s Having a Baby, Book of Love; Young Artist Award nomination for Dance ‘Til Dawn); Patrick Renna (Son in Law, The Big Green; won 1994 Young Artist Award for Sandlot); R.D. Robb (A Christmas Story, Matilda, The Brady Bunch Movie) and Lea Moreno (Demon Hunter, Marigold, Last Stand).

Executive Producers: Walter Josten (Around the World in 80 Days, Behind the Red Door; Emmy for The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie; 30 more films and TV projects) and Jeff Geoffray (Around the World in 80 Days, Shergar, Silver Wolf, Behind the Red Door and 23 other films).

Produced by Mark Burman (Satanic, Grad Night, Wrong Number) and Gary Shar (debut).

Original Music by Daniel Getz (The Land Before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock, An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island) and Ivan Koutikov (Die Hard Dracula, The Haunting of Hell House).

Cinematography by Russ Brandt (Playback, Big Monster on Campus, Deadly Exposure).

Film Editing by Dan Lowenthal (Silver Bullet, Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold, Missing in Action).

Production Design by Bill Mitchell (set decorator on The King of Queens, Eve, Lost at Home).

Costume Design by Dawn DeWitt (Camp Daze, Starforce, Love Games).

Release Data:
U.K. video premiere in 1999.

Links:
Internet Movie Database entry for Falling Sky

Falliing Sky trailer (for WMP and Real Player)